Why Couldn't You Have Said It Sooner?
by Shinjanji
Summary: What happens when Ash and Misty reunite 3 and a half years after Ash gave Misty her bike back?


'Why Couldn't You Have Said It Sooner?' by Q Man   
It was a secluded area of the forest, guarded all around by trees with a beautiful   
stretch of river flowing through it. It had a little clearing up against some rocks, a perfect   
place to stop and fish. It was some distance away from Viridian City, but it was only an   
hour's or so bike ride away if you took a straight route through a field at the edge of the   
forest, but that was another matter. But, at that little spot of land next to the river, a young   
woman of about 16 sat, fishing pole in hand. She was thin, and had very noticeable   
orange hair and blue green eyes. Her name was Misty, and she was fishing, but she had   
been sitting there for hours, not even caring if she got a bite or not. Five years ago, it   
would've been different. She was trying her hardest to catch some fish, but, on that day,   
ll she managed to catch was the rest of her life, little did she know it. It came in the form   
of a boy and his Pikachu. They boy's name was Ash, Ash Ketchum. He needed to get his   
Pikachu to the Viridian City Pokémon Center, and in his need for speedy travel, took   
Misty's bike, promising to return it someday. That day was the start of the rest of her life,   
for she found her bike in ruins, and eventually managed to make it to Viridian to meet the   
boy yet again. It was that day when she started her adventure, since she swore that she'd   
follow him anywhere he went until he paid her back for the bike. At first, it was just   
about the bike, but soon after, in her travels she quickly forgot about her bike, and her   
perceptions about Ash started to change. Soon, she found herself questioning how she felt   
about Ash, and eventually regretted the decision that she made on that day so long ago,   
when he surprised her one morning with, what else, a brand new bike. She had   
completely forgotten all about it, and was quite cross about the incident indeed. Was she   
to tell him that she had completely forgotten about the bike? Was she to tell him that she   
had actually felt so strongly about Ash that she never wanted to leave him? Was she to   
tell him the truth - that she had grown, to love him? No, she thought. "He doesn't love   
me, he couldn't!" she continually said to herself, "He only thought I was following him   
because of this stupid bike". It was on that day when they parted ways, Misty speeding   
off on her new bike, not wanting Ash to see the tears in her eyes and the sorrow on her   
face. Little did she know that Ash regretted the decision as much as she did.  
  
For Ash, it was something as simple as being saved from the river by a girl he   
didn't know, and at first, didn't want to associate with at all. He merely needed a quick   
way to get to Viridian to help his injured Pikachu. But after totally destroying her bike, he   
had to run the rest of the distance to Viridian. Little had he known it at the time, the   
destroyed bike became a major complication in his whole career as a Pokémon Trainer.   
For when the possessor of the bike, Misty, found him at the Pokémon Center in Viridian   
City, she had vowed to him that she wouldn't stop following him until he paid her back   
for the bike. So he set off, Misty always tagging along behind him. Through the bad   
times and the good, they were always together. They weren't always alone, for they soon   
after gained a new partner, Brock, in their travels. Ash, through the entirety of his journey   
alongside Misty, thought that she was only following him because of the bike. But, he   
soon grew to respect her, and after that, eventually he grew to love her, but he dared not   
tell a soul. "She doesn't love me, all she wants is another bike," he thought to himself.   
Eventually though, he came to a decision that he knew he had to make, as much as he   
didn't want to. He decided to get her a new bike. He knew that once he gave her the bike,   
she would leave him, for what may have been forever. The day came. He had purchased   
the bike, and it was time to give it to her. When she accepted the bike, he quickly turned   
his back to her, and said glumly, "There, you've got your new bike, you can go now". As   
he said this, he grew more and more saddened, and eventually started to cry. He didn't   
want Misty to see this, for he didn't want her to know how he felt about her. He didn't   
want Brock to know either, and as such, he made sure that Brock wasn't around when he   
gave Misty the bike and cried afterward. When he did meet up with Brock later that day,   
he told him that he had given Misty her bike back, and that she was now gone. He did his   
best to hold back his emotions, for they were quite strong. It was a decision that led him   
to be so depressed that he came dangerously close to giving up on his Pokémon journey.   
That was almost three and a half years ago.  
  
Now, Ash was world famous, he had beaten the Pokémon League, and the Elite   
Four. His face was plastered across newspapers, magazines, and televisions everywhere.   
But his victory hadn't made him nearly as happy as he had hoped it would. Something   
was missing. It seemed as though for three and a half years, a part of him had been   
missing, and it left along with the only one he truly loved, Misty.  
  
It was only days before had Misty gone to the spot where she first met him, and   
tried to do some fishing, but her only result was sitting there for hours thinking about Ash   
and the times they shared together.  
  
Little did she know how much things were going to change for her yet again. She   
woke up some mornings later, to discover Ash's picture across the front page of the   
newspaper. Her sisters had told her that Ash had won the Pokémon League as they   
handed her the newspaper, and she quickly and eagerly read the article. She returned to   
her room with the newspaper, and clipped the article and photo, and pasted them into her   
diary, almost all the pages of which were filled with her feelings for Ash that she felt day   
by day. She quickly wrote a whole page diary entry of the things she felt just from   
reading the small article about Ash's victory. One thing in the article, though, particularly   
interested her, and was enough for her to fill yet another page of her diary. The segment   
was part of the interview with him just after he had won.  

    
    
    "When Champion Ash Ketchum was asked about what he went through to get to
    where he is today, he said that at first, it was tough, but he had his friends beside him
    almost the whole way. However, three and a half years ago, he almost gave up training
    when he parted ways with the best of his friends. Here's what he had to say. "It was
    really painful. She was my best friend, I thought I would never have to say goodbye to
    her. When she left, I was so depressed, I couldn't train, I couldn't sleep, and I couldn't
    concentrate on anything. I felt so alone, even though I still did have another friend by my
    side through it all. Eventually, I came to grips with the situation, and started training
    again. But I felt different. I didn't feel as I used to; I was still very depressed." Ketchum
    was also asked what he intends to do now that he is champion. "Personally, I'm going to
    take a long break from training. There are some things I need to fix in my life, and I'm
    not going to wait any longer." When asked where his intended destination was, he gave
    no comment, and noted that he merely wished to not be disturbed. Ketchum assures us
    though, that he will be back to training Pokémon someday in the future."
    

Misty read over the segment time and again, completely shocked about the fact   
that he still remembers her. She was also surprised to know just how much her leaving   
had affected him. She finished writing in her diary, and laid down on her bed, staring at   
the ceiling, and thinking of Ash. Ash, on the other hand, was on the move. He had taken a   
train that left from the Indigo Plateau to Viridian City. From there, he boarded another   
train, headed for Cerulean City. He sat back in his seat, with one of his best friends, his   
ever-trusty Pikachu, in the seat next to him. He looked out the window at the familiar   
scenery as it zipped by. His train of thought was disturbed, however, by the conductor's   
voice over the train's announcement system. "We will be arriving in Cerulean City in   
approximately five minutes, please check your local area for any personal belongings and   
prepare to exit the train when we arrive." Ash looked down at Pikachu. "You hear that,   
buddy? We'll be in Cerulean in five minutes! I can't wait to see Misty again, it's been so   
long!" "Pi-Pikachu!" was Pikachu's only reply. Ash gave Pikachu a little scratch behind   
the ears - Pikachu liked that.  


Misty eventually got out of bed, and headed down to the Cerulean Gym. Daisy   
was there to greet her. "Like, Misty, we're not going to have the gym open for any   
battling today." She said. "Oh, well, okay then." Misty replied. She slowly walked over   
near the poolside edge, and sat down next to it. She leaned her face down, and rested it on   
her knees, while she had her arms wrapped around her legs to prop them up. She gave out   
a long sigh to herself. Daisy and Lily were in the entrance lobby, looking into the main   
gym area at their depressed sister through the main red double doors that connected the   
two rooms.  


"Like, Misty's acting really depressed today, I wonder why" Lily asked.  


"You know, it's because she's heard about Ash again, from the newspaper this   
morning." Daisy responded.  


"Well, you'd think that she'd be happy for him that he won the League, right?" Lily   
asked again.  


"Yeah, I would think that she would be happy for him. She must just be wishing he were   
here again." Daisy finished, as she closed the large double doors.  


As soon as the train came to a stop at the station, Ash and Pikachu were the first   
to get off, and their first destination - the Cerulean Gym. "It can't be much farther, now,   
Pikachu!" Ash said, running at full speed toward the Gym. Soon after, he arrived. It was   
exactly how he had entered it the first time, so long ago. He slowly walked up to the   
double glass doors that led inside, and said "Well, Pikachu, this is it. I just hope that   
Misty remembers me."  


He walked in. Daisy and Lily heard the doors opening, and turned around to see   
who it was. They were left speechless when they recognized him, their eyes bulging   
slightly, and their faces, ever so slightly paled. "Ash, is that you?" Lily asked when she   
regained her composure.  


Ash wasn't in the mood for small talk, and said, "Yeah, it's me. But that's not   
important right now, where's Misty? I want - no, need to talk to her." He was very eager   
to see Misty again, and the sooner he could do so, the better.  


"Like, she's in the pool area" Daisy said as she pointed toward the closed red   
double doors that led to the main gym area.  


"All right, thanks." Ash said quickly.  


Instead of going through the main doors, he took off down one of the side   
hallways that led up to the stands. There was another pair of big red doors at the top of   
the staircase that led to the seats in the main Gym. He took a deep breath, and slowly   
pushed the doors open. He stood behind the top of seats, looking around at the gym he   
had not been to for almost five years. That didn't matter to him though, since all he really   
wanted to see was the young girl that he hadn't seen for what seemed like so much   
longer. He didn't even notice that she was sitting right next to the pool, but she was   
hidden due to the fact that the bottommost rows of seats were fairly elevated from the   
pool level, since there was a hallway that passed beneath the rows of seats, that led down   
to the viewing area under the surface of the pool.  


Misty heard the doors open behind her, and lifted her head ever so slightly. She   
was going to turn around and look to see who it was, but she figured not to, because it   
must've only been one of her sisters, she figured. She rested her forehead back down on   
her knees, and went back to moping, but when she heard a male voice call out "Misty, are   
you in here?" she quickly lifted her head and looked around her. She couldn't see Ash at   
the top of the stairs, so she thought that it was just a figment of her imagination, that she   
was just hearing things. But then she heard footsteps, which belonged to Ash as he   
walked down the side aisle that ran down the entire length of the rows of seats. Misty   
stood up, and again looked around, to see a figure walking down one of the aisles,   
covered in a shadow that was notorious for mysteriously plaguing that particular aisle.   
Ash noticed Misty's orange hair when she stood up, though it was all he could see, it was   
enough. Once again, he called out "Misty? Is that you?" as he quickened his pace down   
the aisle. Misty kept looking at the figure walking down the aisle, and she thought it had   
two heads, but when the person walked out of the mysterious shadow, all was revealed.   
This person didn't have two heads; it was a man with a Pikachu on his shoulder. But what   
she saw after that she didn't believe. When she looked into the face of the person, she   
recognized it as the same one she had seen on the front page of the newspaper just that   
morning. It was Ash, and he was here, at the Cerulean Gym, looking for Misty.  


"A-Ash, is... is that you?" Was all Misty managed to say in here surprise and disbelief.  


"Misty!" Ash replied excitedly, and without thinking, leapt over the front railing and   
down to the poolside floor.  


They looked at each other, neither saying a word for a moment. Then Ash spoke.  


"Misty... It... it's been... so long."  


"I know, Ash... I thought that you had forgotten all about me."  


"No, Misty... I never forgot about you. To be honest, you were almost all I was able to   
think about for the longest time after you left."  


"I know Ash. I read the article you were interviewed for in the newspaper this morning.   
But, actually, I felt the same way about leaving you..."  


"R-Really... Misty?"  


"Yes, Ash... The thing is, almost right away, I stopped caring about the bike... I... only   
wanted to be with you... I never wanted to leave"   


"You... you didn't?"  


"Yeah..."   


"Well, Misty... I shouldn't have bought you the bike at all then..."  


"What? Why not?"  


"Because... I... never wanted you to leave."  


"You... never wanted me to go?"  


"Misty..."   


"It's okay... you didn't know... how I felt about you."  


"And you didn't know... how I felt about you... either."  


"What... what do you mean, Ash?"  


"I wanted to tell you when I gave you the bike, but... I couldn't... I ... I..."  


Ash didn't quite know how to tell Misty. He swore to himself that he'd tell her   
how he felt, but now he was beginning to lose his nerve, even if he was 16 years old and   
fully capable of telling somebody how he felt. But it was just different with Misty. He   
wasn't absolutely sure if she would feel the same way, or what, but he had to tell her, so   
he mustered up all of his courage.  


"Misty... I... I love you." He said, his face quickly starting to turn red.  


Misty was so overjoyed when Ash said that, her eyes began to flood with tears,   
and she began to blush furiously. Ash thought that she was starting to get angry with him,   
but was caught off guard when she ran into him, threw her arms around him, and cried   
into his shoulder. She spoke, though her speech was slightly muffled by Ash's clothing,   
but he could still understand clearly what she said.  


"Ash... I love you too... I wanted to tell you too, but I just wasn't able to at the time."  


Ash was starting to get a warm smile across his face, and wrapped his arms   
around Misty, and patted her gently on the back to comfort her.  


"And all this time... I thought that all you wanted was the bike..."  


Misty by this time had stopped crying, and simply let her head lie on Ash's   
shoulder as he hugged her and patted her back. It was a good feeling, a feeling she hadn't   
felt for years. Ash, too, was feeling very comforted and warm, being close to Misty again,   
and having told her how he felt.  


Now, he felt relived, his optimism was back, and he was happy. He felt like his   
old self again. Misty slowly lifted her head up, and looked into Ash's eyes. She could tell   
that for once, he was happy again. Sure, she had seen his photo in the newspaper just this   
morning, but she could tell that he wasn't truly happy, but right now, she knew that he   
was indeed truly happy.  


When they eventually parted, little as they wanted to part, they looked at each   
other's appearance, since they never bothered to look at first. Ash was surprised at how   
much Misty had changed from the thin little girl he once knew. She had let her hair down   
to just above her shoulders, the same length it had always been. She no longer wore the   
suspenders, and had apparently opted for a more mature outfit consisting of a plain tee   
shirt that reached past her waist, and a short skirt instead of those rolled up shorts. Since   
it was a slightly chilly day out, she also had a dark crimson sweatshirt over her tee shirt,   
but she left it open. Her face had not changed much, it was still just as beautiful as he   
remembered it to be, and her eyes were still the same bright blue green that he adored so   
much. And her smile was still just as happy as ever, even though she hadn't truly smiled   
like that since before they parted ways. Her body had filled out very nicely indeed, and   
nobody would dare call her figure scrawny, that's for sure. Misty had noticed a lot of   
changes in Ash as well; the most noticeable being the fact that he was now several inches   
taller than she. But she also noticed how he actually seemed to have been consistently   
combing his hair, for it was much neater than it was. He also wore a plain tee shirt, and   
baggy blue jeans. He had the same eyes and warm smile that he had years ago, and the   
same odd little wrinkles below his eyes. He was built much better now, and looked much   
more like a man than the kid she first fell in love with. Pikachu had also changed, but not   
terribly too much. He had grown slightly larger over the years, but that was simply due to   
natural aging. Pikachu was off to the side, since he decided that he would give Ash and   
Misty some time together before he would associate with Misty again. Ash decided to   
speak.  


"Wow, Misty... I can't believe how much more beautiful you've gotten... But   
then again, I always did think you were beautiful."  


Misty came closer to Ash yet again, and embraced him once more. Ash returned   
the embrace, and slowly rocked her back and forth. Misty felt really comforted in Ash's   
arms. They stood there, slowly rocking back and forth for several minutes, until finally,   
Misty got an idea. She started standing on the tips of her toes to get her face closer to   
Ash's, but he got the hint, and leaned over slightly until their lips met together in their   
first real kiss. It was a wonderful experience for the both of them, for sensations neither   
of them felt before had suddenly rushed through their bodies, and they could do no more   
than relax and melt in each other's arms. They both felt so warm on the inside, feelings   
they haven't experienced since they were together before, but not even then were thier   
feelings this strong. The feelings they had, the mysterious warming of their bodies, the   
lost thoughts when they looked at one another, their dreams of the other, could have been   
only one thing, and they both knew it - it was love. Forever and always, love.  
They both broke apart from their kiss, and once again stared deeply into each   
other's eyes, repeating their love for each other without saying a word. They again broke   
their embrace, and Pikachu decided that it was time to say hello and jumped up into   
Misty's arms. She giggled a bit, and said "How are you doing, Pikachu?"  


"Pika!"  


Misty giggled again, and said "That's nice, Pikachu!"  


Ash noticed that something was missing, though.  


"Hey, Misty... Where's Togepi at?"  


"Oh, my! I forgot all about her!"  


Misty ran out of the pool area, and to her bedroom in the Gym, and noticed that   
Togepi was still where Misty left her, sleeping and all. She picked up Togepi and brought   
her back up to the main Gym area to meet Ash and Pikachu. As she walked up to Ash   
again, Togepi began to wake up, and recognized Ash immediately.  


"Toge-pri!" She said happily, waving her pointy little arms around. Ash leaned   
close to Togepi, and said "How are you doing Togepi? It's been a long time." Togepi   
cheered some more in Misty's arms, and she eventually put her down to socialize with   
Pikachu.  


"Well, I'm hungry, I haven't had breakfast yet." Misty said while standing back   
up. Ash put a hand to his stomach, and said "So am I... I was so excited about coming   
back here to meet you that I completely forgot about eating!" Misty chuckled, "You   
actually forgot about food for once?" she said playfully. Ash put his hand behind his   
head, and said "Yeah, that doesn't happen too often, now, does it?" They walked out of   
the gym, laughing together, as Pikachu and Togepi followed them closely behind. Misty   
led Ash to the living area on the other side of the Gym, where they were both greeted by   
Misty's sisters. Daisy spoke up, "Like, congratulations, Misty!" Misty was confused,   
however. "Congratulations? What for?" She asked. Lily decided to comment, "We like,   
saw the whole thing from the lobby, all three of us!" Misty started to blush a little, "Oh,   
you did?" Violet finished, "We're all just glad that you're finally happy again, Misty!"   
Misty put her arm around Ash, and looked up at him smiling, and said, "Well, now that   
me and Ash know how we feel about each other, there's know way I could be sad!"   
Misty's sisters all looked at each other, and nodded. "Like, we'll all just make you two a   
nice, big breakfast and we'll leave you alone here in the living room so you can spend   
some time together." Daisy said, and with that, they walked into the kitchen and started to   
prepare breakfast, while Ash and Misty sat down on the couch. Misty decided to start the   
conversation.  


"So, how have you been all these years?"  


"Not too good... I was so sad when you left, that I might've given up on training   
Pokémon. I just felt... so alone without you."  


"Yeah, I kind of felt the same way. I did hardly anything when I got back home, I   
couldn't stop thinking about you..."  


"Well, I'm here now, and I'm taking a long break from training... so that I can be   
here with you."  


"Oh, Ash, that's so sweet. I read in the newspapers that you were going to be   
taking a break, but I didn't think that it was all for me!"  


"Well, it is, Misty... It's all for you."  
They gave each other a hug and another kiss, and soon after went back to their   
conversation.  


"Well, anyway, after I started to cope with you leaving, I started training my   
Pokémon again... It seemed to take a lot longer, and I wasn't as happy or excited about it   
as I used to be... But, eventually, I managed to make it to the Pokémon League, and I   
beat them. But... I just didn't feel the same, I didn't seem to have as much enthusiasm as   
I used to... But now, I feel like my old self again, now that we're together again."  


They hugged once more, and soon after were interrupted, when Violet called out   
that breakfast was ready. Ash and Misty walked into the dining room with their   
Pokémon, and took seats next to each other at the table. Pikachu jumped into the empty   
seat next to Ash, while Misty held Togepi in her lap and gave her small bits of food to   
eat, even though Togepi was fully capable of feeding herself by this time. After Misty   
finished feeding Togepi, she started to eat her own breakfast, while she, her sisters, and   
Ash all talked of the years that had gone by. After they were finished eating, Ash and   
Misty decided to get some fresh air outside, and wound up spending almost all day at the   
park. They walked down the smoothened cobblestone path, with Pikachu on Ash's   
shoulder, and Misty carrying Togepi. All the while, though, they only talked of each   
other, and how much they loved one another. Eventually, they sat down on one of the   
park benches to catch a break, while their Pokémon were running around the bench   
playing a game of tag. Ash and Misty, however, were occupied with admiring the local   
scenery of lush, green trees and multicolored flowers, to admiring each other. They held   
each other close together as they watched the small stream a short distance away flowing,   
glittering from the sun above, which was starting to reach the five o'clock mark. They   
decided to go see a movie before the day was done. Normally, Ash didn't like romance   
movies all that much, but this time was an exception - he was watching it with Misty.  
After the movie, they went to a restaurant and ordered dinner, and small dishes for   
their Pokémon. They finished their dinner, Ash paid the bill, a rarity indeed, and they   
went back to the Gym.  


They walked out behind the Gym, where there was a large raised deck, and they   
sat and gazed at the stars and moon together, until late that night. They were both starting   
to get tired, and so they went inside to clean up and get ready for bed. While Misty was in   
the shower, Ash was in the living room, reading the day's newspaper, but noticed that   
there was a considerable chunk cut out of the front page. When Misty came out of the   
bathroom, she was wearing a light pink women's robe, with a matching towel wrapped   
around her hair. "The shower's all yours; I just hope you've got something to wear." She   
said, as she walked into her bedroom to fill several more pages of her diary. Ash soon   
after came out of the shower, wearing a men's robe, but his was more of a cooler gray   
color.  


Misty had heard Ash come out of the bathroom, and looked in the living room to   
find him pulling a blanket out of his backpack. She asked him "What? Are you going to   
sleep out here on the couch?" He replied "Yeah, do you know of a better place?" Misty   
blushed and rubbed the inside of her left arm shyly. "Well, my bed... is big enough for   
the two of us." Ash pretended to think about it for a second. "Well, if you really want me   
to..." he said, putting his blanket away, while Pikachu was busy getting out his little   
lightning bolt patterned blanket that he had for years. They walked back into Misty's   
room, and Pikachu crawled into a small bed that Misty prepared especially for him and   
Togepi, and quickly fell asleep. Misty sat down on the bed, and patted a spot right next to   
her, silently inviting Ash to lie in the bed. He laid down next to her, and pulled the   
blanket over the both of them. He wrapped his arms around Misty's belly and quietly   
whispered into her ear "Don't worry, I'll always be right here with you from now on"   
And with that, they dozed off to the gentle beating of each other's hearts.  



End file.
